Koenma's Favor
by Sylvyr Elf
Summary: In answer to Katzztar's Kuwabara challenge. When Koenma first met Kuwabara at the Dark Tournament he promised him a favor for helping Yuseke. But when Kuwabara calls in his favor


Koenma's Favor

AN: This was written in reply to Katzztar's challenge. It's my first YYH story and I'm not sure about all the spellings, so if I misspelled anything please let me know, thanks.

Kuwabara Kazuma paced anxiously on the flat roof of his apartment building. He never would have imagined that such a simple piece of information would leave him in such a state of agitation. He sighed and leaned against the air conditioning unit, as he let his mind wander back to the first time he met Koenma.

_The spirit world tournament: Koenma, in his young teenager form, approached the Yurameshi team. After exchanging greetings with some of the others he turned to Kuwabara, "And you must be Kuwabara. Thank you for helping Yuseke out. I guess I owe you a favor for that."_

If only Kuwabara had not decided to call in that favor. He would not be in this predicament now. He glanced down at his watch. Yukina was coming to visit him. She would be there in less than half an hour. He was not sure he could look at her…not now. Not when he did not know yet what he was going to do. His mind turned back to the meeting he had had with Koenma earlier that afternoon.

Koenma's office: Botan opened the door and ushered Kuwabara in.

_"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but Kuwabara asked if he could see you."_

_The baby looking creature looked up from his papers and pushed them aside, "Oh, very well then. You may go Botan."_

_"Huh, wow. Now I see why Yurameshi calls you a baby all the time," Kuwabara laughed._

_"Did you come here to insult me or did you need something," Koenma huffed._

_"Uh yeah, sorry. When we first met at the tournament you said you owed me a favor for helping out Yurameshi all the time…" Kuwabara let his voice trail off._

_"So what, you've thought of something and you've come to collect," Koenma finished. "Alright what do you want?"_

_"Well, I've been going out with Yukina for a while now…and I really like her. And I want to make sure she's always happy."_

_"Hey, I said a favor not a wish. If you want to make a wish go find a shooting star, or the dragon balls but don't-"_

_"Wait you mean there really are dragon balls?"_

_"Yes, but they aren't as easy to find as that ridiculous cartoon you humans watch makes it seem."_

_"That's cool, but I didn't mean I wanted you to make Yukina love me or anything. I just want to know something so I can help her."_

_Koenma raised an eyebrow as he regarded Kuwabara, "Oh, maybe I can help then. What do you want to know?"_

_"Well, when Yukina was really little she was separated from her brother, and she really wants to find him, so I thought you could tell me his name or where I could find him. That way I could tell her and make her really happy."_

_"Hmmm," Koenma leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The silence stretched for several minutes._

_"Uh, Koenma?"_

_"What, oh you're still here. Sorry, I got a little lost."_

_"It looked kinda like you fell asleep."_

_"Well I didn't," Koenma snapped._

_"Geez sorry."_

_"Listen to me carefully Kuwabara."_

_Kuwabara leaned closer to Koenma as he spoke._

_"The information you have asked me for is very dangerous, and may not solve your problem. As a matter of fact, it could make the situation worse. Yukina's brother has become a very powerful youkai. Very Powerful. He's been using his power to keep an eye on her. Literally. He's one of the most powerful and feared youkai in underworld. He has no aversion to killing, often just for pleasure._

_"Anyway, he doesn't want her to know. He feels that something as beautiful and pure as Yukina, should not have anything to do with someone as tainted by darkness and evil as he has become. He might try to kill you if he knew you would tell her." _

_How's he gonna know. I'm seeing Yukina tonight. By the time he found out, she would know and there'd be nothing he could do about it. Besides, I could handle him."_

_"Don't be overconfident, Kuwabara."_

_"I'm part of the team that won the dark tournament. I'm sure I could handle anything."_

_"Kuwabara…" Koenma began._

_"Come on and tell me already," Kuwabara interrupted. "Or are incapable of making good on your promise."_

_"Hiei," Koenma stated._

_"The shorty, what about him."_

_"Hiei is Yukina's brother. Now before you run off and do something rash, I want you to think about something. Remember how Hiei was at the tournament. All the power you saw in him. That was him fighting when it wasn't personal. Imagine what he would be like if he was actually angry with _you._ Is that something you really want to face? Think about it before you make your decision. I doubt any of us have seen Hiei at his full power. At the level that absolute desperation or pure fury can drive a fighter to. I'm not sure that even Yukina's affection for you could save you from his wrath if you revealed him to her."_

_"Uh, thanks Koenma. I'll think about it."_

_"I'll have Botan take you back to your world."_

_Kuwabara nodded as Koenma called for her._

_"Be careful Kuwabara, be careful," Koenma whispered as the door to his office closed._

Kuwabara pushed himself away from the air conditioner and went down to his room to change his clothes. He was taking Yukina out to a fancy restaurant, he had planned to surprise her by telling her who her brother was, while they were out, but now…he still did not know what he would do. Not like he was afraid of the little shrimp…but…he really did not want to find an angry youkai coming to tear him apart either. And he kind of, almost, thought of Hiei as a friend too. After all they had been through together he respected the little guy. He felt almost as though he would be betraying Hiei if he told Yukina the truth.

But how could he look into her beautiful, hopeful eyes, knowing that she was searching for her brother and not tell her. She trusted him. It would be like betraying her too.

He glanced at the phone in the mirror as he tried to tie his tie. Maybe Yuseke could give him some advice. He suddenly remembered Kurama and Yuseke's private joke at the dark tournament, when he had told them he was trying to help Yukina find her brother. They knew! Everyone knew but him. And Yukina.

Yuseke would be no help. He had known all along and not told Yukina.

The doorbell rang, and he dashed to get it. Botan must be there with Yukina. The 'young' reaper had been shuffling them between worlds so they could go out. It was just the sort of task the matchmaker enjoyed. He swung the door open to admit Yukina.

"Well, you two kids have fun," Botan said with a wave as she turned to leave, summoning her oar.

"Wow, you're really dressed up nice tonight," Yukina stated.

"Yeah, well, we're going someplace really nice tonight. We can leave as soon as I get this stupid tie-" he blushed suddenly as Yukina reached up and tied the tie for him.

She giggled sweetly as she finished, "I guess that takes care of the tie doesn't it. I hope I'm dressed nicely enough."

Kuwabara smiled happily as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "Aww, you always look nice enough to go anywhere."

She smiled happily at his compliment.

Kuwabara felt a pang of guilt shoot through him as he closed the door behind them. He knew he really should tell her.

The restaurant was only a few blocks away and they reached it soon. They were soon seated and Kuwabara turned and looked out the window. There was really a great view of the city; it was part of the restaurant's prestige. He felt really bad, and it seemed that the longer he was with Yukina, the worse he felt. He wanted to tell her the truth, but he thought that it was Hiei's place; he should be the one to tell her.

"Kazuma?"

"Huh, what?" he jumped, startled at the sound of Yukina's voice. She had obviously just asked him a question and he had ignored her. Her crimson eyes peered worriedly up at him. "I'm sorry Yukina, what did you say? I was lost in thought."

"I said that it's a beautiful view up here, isn't it."

"Yeah," he murmured. He tried to pay more attention, but he was distracted and quiet throughout the remainder of dinner.

They were walking back to his apartment to watch a movie when Yukina broke into his reverie yet again.

"Kazuma, is something wrong?"

"Wrong! No nothing's wrong. Why would you ask that?" he asked, putting a hand behind his head and trying to act nonchalant.

"Kazuma, you've been acting really strange tonight. I'm just worried about you."

"No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara replied. He thought for a minute, wondering if maybe he could get a little advice from Yukina, without letting her know what was really going on. "Ok, maybe I have a little problem. What if I knew something really important, but I couldn't tell without hurting somebody? What should I do?"

"What do you mean? Is it something bad?"

He thought for a minute, trying to think how to phrase it right; "Ok, say I've got these two friends, and one of them took something from the other. It's not anything real important, but I know about it. If I tell my friend the truth then I'm betraying him, but if I do tell, I betray the other friend."

"Hmm, I see," Yukina said, smiling up at him. "I think you ought to think about it for a while. Follow your heart and do what you know is right and everything will turn out right somehow. As long as you know that you did the right thing."

Kuwabara smiled happily, catching her in a quick hug, encouraged by Yukina's advice, "Thanks Yukina, I knew you would have a good answer for me. Let's go watch a movie now."

He let Yukina pick the movie they watched, he barely paid attention, he was still trying to decide what he should do.

_He's one of the most powerful and feared youkai in underworld. He has no aversion to killing, often just for pleasure._ Koenma's voice echoed in his mind.

Hiei was kind of scary, and he did not want to make him angry. And he did kind of like the short guy.

_Follow your heart and do what you know is right and everything will turn out right somehow._

Yukina was right, he should listen to his heart. He looked over at her; she was absorbed in the movie, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly parted. He smiled happily. He loved her so much, and she had the right to know.

_As long as you know you did the right thing._

He smiled contentedly. He knew what the right thing was now. He settled back and watched what remained of the movie. When the movie ended Yukina stretched her hand out to pick up the telephone to call Botan to pick her up.

"Wait a minute Yukina," he said, wrapping a hand around her wrist.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I just need to talk to you for a little bit."

"Ok, what is it?"

"I went to see Koenma today. Back at the Dark Tournament, when I first met him, he said that he owed me a favor. I called it in today."

"Oh, what did you ask for?" she asked, regarding him deeply. He realized suddenly how much her eyes were like Hiei's. He almost backed out at that moment, but plunged on.

"I asked him how to find your brother."

Yukina's eyes lit up with hope, "Did he tell you where he is?"

"Yes. Yukina," Kuwabara paused looking deep into her eyes, she could handle it, and so could he. "Your brother is Hiei."

"Hiei, but does he know."

"Yeah, he knows. But he doesn't want you to know. He doesn't want you to have to be related to a terrible youkai like him. But Koenma says he's been watching out for you all along. By the way, he'd probably kill me if he found out I told you."

"I see, this was your problem from earlier?"

"Yeah, I kinda like Hiei, and I thought maybe I shouldn't tell, but I like you a lot more."

"Thank you Kuwabara, for being honest with me," she leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I need to go now. I have a lot of thinking to do."

"Ok, I'll see you later."

"Thanks, would you call Botan and ask her to pick me up at the park in half an hour or so."

"Sure thing."

Yukina smiled at him as she turned and left, closing the door softly behind her.

Kuwabara leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, assured by the certainty that he had done the right thing.


End file.
